NCNE Commences Skill Acquisition Training for  56 Nomadic Youths

John Shiklam in Kaduna

The National Commission for Nomadic Education (NCNE) has commenced the training of 56 nomadic youths in skills acquisition to promote entrepreneurship and job creation.

Participants for the three day training were drawn from Oyo, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Kaduna, Kwara, and Kebbi states.

Speaking while declaring the training open yesterday  in Kaduna, the Executive Secretary of the commission, Prof. Bashir Usman, said that the initiative would  go a long way in reducing the poverty percentage of many rural societies as well reduce restiveness, kidnapping, raping, and rural banditry, among other vices.

Usman, who was represented by  the Director, Quality Assurance of the commission, Akin Akinyosoye,  said that  many young people are eager to imbibe relevant livelihood skills.

According to him, half of the more than one billion established manual jobs globally are dependent on livestock and agriculture, which are emerging entrepreneurship skills for livelihoods.

“I consider this very important 3-day training workshop for our youths and other participating critical stakeholders from the states very apt and timely.

“I am particularly delighted that the commission has at this promising moment taken a leading role in addressing the frightening challenges of nomadism in present day Nigeria.

“Our teaming youths are very eager to imbibe relevant livelihood skills which play a key role in providing food security and income to millions of families and their communities. It has also been established that over one billion  people are involved in rural menial jobs globally, with more than half of these dependent on livestock, agriculture, and emerging innovative entrepreneurship skills for livelihoods,” Usman said.

He said further that when  a youth learns a skill, he can use the skills to feed, send his children to school, assist others with employment and invest for the future.

“The skill one learns, can assist him till the end of his life. A youth who is empowered with improved animal husbandry skills can earn from it sustainably till he dies,” Usman said.

He called on the participants to pay attention to the training and improve the quality of their lives.

Speaking earlier, the Director of Extension Education and Skills Development, Dr. Abdu Ardo, said 56 participants, who are nomadic youths were carefully selected from seven states of the country in order to build their skills based on their needs and the development needs of their various communities.